“Sacrifice! Sacrifice! Sacrifice!”

“What?” Distant cries were heard at a distance. Cries full of eagerness and urgency. Men, women, and children screaming in one mind and heart.

“Sacrifice her! Kill her!”

“Sacrifice? Kill her? Who…?” Agatha slowly opened her eyes. She could see hundreds of thousands of people below, raising their voices in a symphony.

“Where…?” She looked around not knowing where she was. The sky had a red color mixed with dark mist. There was smoke and fire in the surrounding areas.

“What the…?” She tried to move but realized that she couldn’t. Her hands and feet were strongly bound with chains against what seemed to be a pillar of stone. She looked down and saw ceremonial markings on the ground. She was wearing a lavish white gown with golden designs of a lotus. She felt something heavy on her head but could not figure out what it was.

“Why am I tied up? What is this? Someone! Please help me!” Agatha started to yell at the top of her lungs, asking someone in the crowd to help her. A sudden silence fell. The people stopped their shouting and just stared at her.

“Please! Help me! Untie me! Monsters are coming! Can’t you all hear them?! We have to leave! Release me!” Agatha struggled as she tried to loosen herself. She fought and fought. She pulled and pulled. Sweat started to fall down her brow. She felt pain in her arms, wrists, and ankles as the metal started to pierce through her skin.

“Why are you just standing there?! Can’t any of you hear me?!” She started to get angry because no one in the crowd was moving. She then noticed something she had missed.

“Their eyes…their ears…they have neither…” Agatha felt terror as she saw people who could not see or hear her.

“Where am I?! Why am I here?! Daliyah! Daliyah where are you?!” She looked around desperately for the familiar face that had always been there for her but she was nowhere to be found. She looked up to the blood-stained sky, tears falling down her cheeks. She wasn’t ready. She thought she was when she left the fortress but the fear was consuming. She started to tremble and let cries full of horror come out of her mouth.

“Please!! Not yet! I’m not ready yet!!! I don’t want to die! Not like this!!!” She continued to struggle. She wanted to be free. She wanted to run away but these chains were too heavy. They were suffocating her. The more she fought, the more she could feel her energy draining.

“Ancient scrolls speak her name. Written in blood and flames.” Agatha looked up as she heard a familiar voice in front of her.

“Elder Elwood…” she whispered as the man who had kept her away, hidden from the world, appeared. He slowly walked towards her, holding a small dagger. Its handle was made with delicacy. It had precious stones on it. Its blade reflected Agatha’s pained expression as she faced who seemed to be her executioner.

“Elder…please” she begged as more tears flowed.

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“White petals stained with time. Whispers of the divine.” He ignored her plead and continued to approach until he was in front of her. He looked down at her coldly and raised the dagger.”

“The White Lotus walks again!” He proclaimed as he brought down the dagger with full force aiming at her heart.

“NOOOOO!!!”

“Agatha!”

“*GASP*” Agatha opened her eyes abruptly. Her hand was up as if she had been trying to reach for something or someone. Daliyah was holding it as she looked at her worried.

“It’s alright. You’re okay. I’m here.” Daliyah spoke to her softly and gently. She seemed to have experienced another nightmare. She noticed the others looking at each other confused at what was happening. For all they knew, Agatha had quickly fallen asleep. A few hours later, she started to grunt and talk in her sleep. She had been sweating a lot and seemed to have a hard time breathing. Daliyah had tried to wake her up over and over but had not succeeded. Agatha then began to scream like a mad woman while keeping her eyes closed. She had finally woken up but…

“Something doesn’t feel right.” Arcane stood a few inches away. Even though Agatha had woken up, she still looked terrified. She did not seem to be “here” but somewhere else.

The young girl noticed Daliyah holding her hand.

“Don’t touch me!!” She snatched her hand away and hastily stood up. She held her hands against her chest and looked around. It was like she was looking at strangers.

“Stay away from me! All of you! Don’t you dare approach me!” The young woman started to run to the river.”

“Agatha!!” Daliyah and the rest started to run after her. Agatha ran with all her might and finally reached the banks of the river. She felt the water wetting her dress as she walked in.

“Don’t!!” Arcane yelled as he realized what she was trying to do.

“Agatha! Stop, listen to me!” Daliyah started to plea, trying to get her attention. Agatha turned around, her cheeks wet from tears. Her body was trembling and her eyes were shaking.

“Are you out of your mind?! Get out of there this instant!” Myer barked as he could not believe what was happening. This woman had lost all her senses out of nowhere. Just how bad was her nightmare for her to react like this?

“Shut up!! All of you!! I don’t know who you are or what you want from me, but I would rather end my own life than for it to be taken by your hands!!” She accusingly pointed at each of them as she slowly retreated.

“Has she lost it? She said she doesn’t know who we are.” Nerian scratched his head as he heard those words.

“(Whatever it is, we have to do something! If she keeps walking deeper, she could drown!)” Zaki desperately tugged at Arcane’s shirt, worried about the worst taking place.

“Agatha, please listen to me. Do you not who I am? I understand them, but me? Look at me! Daliyah started to slowly approach.

“Don’t move!!” Agatha took a step back which made Daliyah stop.

“Alright, I won’t move. But listen! You have to get out of the water. It’s dangerous. You can’t swim, so please, let’s talk out here.”

“No, if I get out you will hurt me.” Agatha covered her ears with her hands and shut her eyes.

“I would never hurt you! It’s me, Daliyah! I’m your friend remember? Come on, please.” Daliyah talked as gently as she could, extending out her hand for Agatha to hold.

“Daliyah?”

“Yes, that’s right, it’s me.” Daliyah gave her a warm smile.

“Daliyah…I called you. I searched for you. But you weren’t there! I…I couldn’t find you.”

“I’m here. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. I will always be there when you call me, so please, come back.”

Agatha felt her breathing relax a bit as she nodded. She had finally come to her senses.

“Why am I in the river?” She saw Daliyah at the banks holding out her hand for her. Behind her were Nerian, Zaki, Myer, and Arcane.

“Dali-” As she was about to call out, she felt her foot slip on a rock.

“AH! *splash*” Agatha fell and started to get swept away by the current.

“Agatha!!!” Just as Daliyah was about to jump in, she felt someone pass her and in a second, another splash was heard. She shook her head and was about to jump in as well.

“Wait! Don’t jump in!” Myer grabbed Agatha and started to drag her out of the water.

“Let go of me! I have to save her!” She was about to punch him but he grabbed both of her wrists.

“You will only make things harder than they should be! I’m sure you can swim, but the only light we have right now is from our dear friend the moon. Plus, he already went after her.”

“He?” Daliyah noticed that one of them was missing. Zaki approached her and touched her arm to assure her. Daliyah noticed she was holding a mask in her hand.